Diagonal strut for locomotives



June 15 1926. 1,588,584

A. T. KASLEY DIAGONAL STRUT FOR LOCOMOTIVES Filed Jan. 1923 M Y U n U nH [lb rim 12 Q 1% 10 e o 11 -14 ATTORNEY Patented June 15, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER T. KASLEY, OF ES'SINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO 'WESTTNG-HOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COIVIPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENN-SYLVAN IA.

DIAGONAL STRUT FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

I Application filed January 26, 1923. Serial No. 615,119.

My invention relates to railway vehicle trucks and particularly toconnecting means therefor which will safely restrict freedom ofarticulation between the respective truck members constituting the bodysupport, and.

it has for an object to provide a connecting means of the characterdesignated whereby excessive strains are prevented, and side thrusts ofthe wheels on the rails, together with the resultant wear incidentthereto, are appreciahlyreduced while traversing curved sections oftrack. It has for a further object to provide a connecting means whichshall be rigid under most conditions of operation but flex; ible underextreme conditions of operation, and it has for a still further objectthe provision of a connecting means which will be automatically severedwhen the conditions of operation are of such extreme character as willtend to stress the connecting n eans beyond the limit of itsflexibility.

These and other oh jectsof my invention, 'which will be manifest in thefurther description thereof. are set forth in the followingspecification and illustrated in, the accompanying drawing in which Fig.1 is a view in elevation of an electric locomotive having twoarticulated trucks of six wheels each; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a pairof trucks having connecting means of the character disclosed in myinvention, Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the connecting means shownin Fig. 2; Fig. 1 is a plan View of another embodimentof my invention;Fig. 5 is a view, in elevation, of the intermediate connecting link;Fig. 6 is a sectionalview in elevation taken on the line VIVI of Fig. 3and Fig. 7 is a sectional view in elevation taken the line ViIVll ofFig. 4.

Railway vehicles employing multi-whecl trucks, as for example, thosehaving two trucks of six wheels each coupled with alongitudinallydisposed link pivotally connected thereto, when traversingcurved sections of track, develop a side thrustbetween the wheel flangesand the rails, resulting in wear thereof. Under extreme conditions ofoperation, this side thrust results at times in derailment of thevehicle or a prying loose of a portion of the rail.

The rear wheel in the front truck has been found by trial to run againstthe inner rail of the curve (unless the speed is veryhigh whencentrifugal force throws it against 1 theouter rail), While the frontWheel of the rear truck runs against the outer rail. If the adjacentends of trucks are connected together,'the rear wheel of the front truckwill usually be drawn away from the rail and the pressure on the flangeof the front wheel of the rear truck consequently reduced.

Freedom of :lateral movement has, in some instances, been eliminated bythe in stallation of arigid transverse link pivotally connected todiagonally-disposed adconditions, a rigid transverse connecting linkdesigned for most operating conditions may either distort or destroy thetrack, the truck, or'itself.

By my inventiomT provide a transverse link connectingdiagonally-disposed ad jacent corners of the trucks, which link is rigidfor most conditions of operation and flexible f r extreme conditions ofoperation, thereby preventing or resisting freedom of relative lateralmovement between the trucks and exerting a deciding guiding actionthereon at all times. i r Referring to the drawing for a more detaileddescription of my invention, in Fig. 2 I have indicated a pair of trucks10 and 11 having the usual side frames 12 and 12- which are journaled toa plurality of axles 14: engaging wheels 15in the usual manner.The-trucks may be connected. to a vehicle frame by center pins (notshown) whichare movable longitudinally ortransversely 'tions 23reinforced by braces 24: and 25 which are secured to the end members 16spring reta'aer elements 33 and and 1'4. ..lie extending portions arecon: nected transversely by a link mechanism composed of flexible endmembers 26 and a centrally disposed rigid men'iber 27, The two flexibleend members 26, which are of similar construction, have partial links offork formation 28, provided with two projecting elements 29 and 30extending inwardly. The outer portions or the partial links are securedat 32 to the extending portions 23, and the inner portions or projectingelen'ients 29 and 30 freely engage which are of a circular conformationas shown in Fig. 6. A second partial link member passes through andfreely engages the spring retainer elements 33 and 34 and has anenlarged end portion 36 extending inwardly. Interposed between theretainer elements 33 and 34 is a spring 37 installed with aninitialcompression which is maintained by stop members 38, 39, 40 and41, secured to their respective link members. Stop members 42 areprovided on the tial link members 35 to prevent an excessive compressingot the springs.

The flexible end members are pivotally connected to the respectiveendsot the centrally-disposed rigid member 27 through the enlarged endportions 36 of the partialhnks 3 5. As shown, the rigid member 27 1s1nclined with respect to the flexible end members 26, and is preferablyso constructed and disposed that lines joining the pivots 43 and thecoupling pins 19 and 21 are substantially normal to the longitudinalaxls of the trucks. As shown in Fig; 5, the member 27 is composed of twoelements 44 and 45 connected by a plurality of rivets 46. Inorder tomaintain the longitudinal axes of the flexible end members 26 in aposition substantially parallel to the transverse axes of thetrucks,-tie members 47 are provided, having one end 48 pivotallyconnectecl to the end members 16or 17 and the other end 49 pivotallyconnected to the enlarged portions 36 of the partial links Having thusdescribed the arrangement of an apparatus embodying one form of myinvention, the operation thereof is as follows: Assumingthe trucks 10and 11 to be traversing a section of track having a normal curvature,the trucks articulate about the coupling pins 19 and 21. Any transverserelative movement between the adjacent-ends of said trucks is resistedby'the transverse link mechanism acting as a rigid connection, due tothe springs 37 being maintained under sufficient initial compression.This transverse link mechanism, therefore, exerts a decided guidingaction on the trucks, therebycon'siderably reducing the side thrust ofthe wheels on the rail;

Should the-trucks 10 and 11 'becompelled to traverse a section of trackhaving an abnormal curvature, a slight amount of rel tive lateralmovement between the trucks is necessary and the strain incurred in thetransverse link mechanism becomes greater than the initial compressivestrength 01": the

springs 37. Full or tree lateral movement is therefore resisted by thetransverse link mechanism actin as a'flexible connection -are thereforecompressed an amount proportionate to the diiierence in strains betweentheir initial compression and that prevailing in the link mechanism. Theretainers 34 maintain their original relative position with theexception of a slight movement due to the angular displacement of thecentrally-disposed connecting member 27.

Should the lateral distance between the trucks increase however, thepartial links 28. being free to move in the retainers 33 and 34,exertthrough the stops 41 an outwardlyextending thrust upon theretainers 34, which move outwardly and compress the springs 37. Thepartial links 35, which are free to move in the retainers 33 and 34,engage the retainers 33 through the stops 38 and maintain them insubstantially their original relative positions.

Should the operating conditions reach such extremes as to require a veryunusual. relative transverse movement between the trucks due, forexample, to a derailment, the centrally-disposed rigid member 27 willfail by rivet shear upon a maxin'ium change in length 01. the transverselink mechanism as permitted by the stop members 42. The rigid member icomposed of two elements 44 and 45 connected by a plurality of rivets46., the gregate shearing value of which will-insure failure of the sameupontransmission of a predetermined strain.

'Refcrring to Fig. 4 for another embodimentof my invention, I haveindicated the two trucks 10 and 11 having adjacent ends 16 and 17connected by the longitudinallydisposed link or draw bar 22 in a mannersimilar to that shown and described in reference to Fig. 3. The sideframes of trucks 10 and 11 have extending portions 23 reinforced bybraces 24 and 25 which are connected to the end members 16 and 17,respectively. The extending. portions 23 are conn'ected transversely bya link mechanism Cir composed of two flexible end members 59 andacentrally-disposed rigid member 60. The two flexible end members 59,which are similar in construction, consist of a partial link of forkformation 62, having inwardly extending elements 63 and 64, andconnected at its outer portion 65 to extending portions 23, of th truckframes. The extending elements 63 and or freely engage the springretainer elements 66 and 67, which spring retainer elements are shown inplan in Fig. 7. A second partial link member 68 also of a forkformation, but having its major axis normally disposed with respect tothe major axis of the partial link 62, is pivotally connected at itsinner end 1 to the centrallydisposed rigid member 60, and has itsprojecting elements69 and 70 extending outwardly and movably engagingthe spring retainer elements 66 and67. Interposed between the retainerelements 66 and 67 are springs 72 and 73 installed with an initialcompression which is maintained by the stops 7e, 75, 76 and 77, disposedon opposite sides of the retainer elements and secured to theirrespective partial link members. Stop members 7 8 are provided on thepartial link members 68 to prevent. an excessive compressing of thesprings. The disposition and construction of the centrallyedisposedrigid member 60 and the tie members 79 are similar to that shown anddescribed with respect to Figs. 3 and 5.

The operation of this embodiment of my invention under normal operatingconditions is similar to that enumerated with respect to Fig. 3, in thatthe transverse link mechanism acts as a rigid member while the trucks 10and 11 are traversing a section of track having a normal degree ofcurvature. should the trucks 10 and 11 be compelled to traverse asection of track having an abnormal degree of curvature, a slight amountof relative lateral movement between the adjacent ends of said trucksbecomes necessary, and the strain transmitted by the transverse linkmechanism becomes greater than the combined compressive strength of thesprings 72 and 73. Full or free lateral movement is therefore resistedby the transverse link mechanism acting as flexible connection, whichmovement may involve either a decrease or increase of the distancebetween the extending portions 23 of the trucks.

In case of a decrease, the partial links 62 exert through the stops 74:an inwardly-extending thrust upon the retainers 66 which in ve inwardlyand compress the springs 72 and 73. The partial links 68, which are alsofree to move in the retainers 66 and 67, engage the retainers 67 andexert through the stops 77 a counter-force thereon in an oppositedirection. The springs 72 and 73 are therefore compressed anamountproportion- V Should the lateral distance between the truckslncrease however, the partial links 62, "being free to move 1n thespring retainers 66 and 67 exert through the stops 76 anoutwardly-extending thrust upon the retainers 67, whichmove outwardlyand compress the springs 72 and 73. The partial links 68, which are alsofree to move in the spring retainers 66 and'67, engage the retainers 66through the stops and maintain them in substantially their originalrelative position. Should the operating conditions reach such extremesas would require a transverse relative movement between the adj acentends of the trucks in excess of that permitted by the flexible endmembers, the centrally-disposed rigid member 60 would fail as hasbeenheretofore' described. While I have utilized but. two or foursprings in my embodiment-s, I may employ any number or combination ofsprings or any suitable resilient means necessary to acquire a potentialstrength which will successfully resist any tendency towards freerelative movement by the adjacent ends of the trucks.

lVhile I have shown my invention in but i two forms, it will be obviousto those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but issusceptible of various other changes and modifications without departingfrom the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only suchlimitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art oras are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What- I claim is:

1. In a railway vehicle, the combination with a pairof trucks, of atransverse link mechanism connecting diagonally disposed adjacentcorners of the trucks, said moch anism comprising flexible and rigidmembers, said flexible members being under an initial load and saidrigid members being sufiiciently weaker than the trucks to protect thelatter against breakage in case of abnormal loads.

2. In a railway vehicle having articulated trucks, a hinge comprising alongitudinally disposed link connecting said trucks, and a transverselink mechanism connecting the adjacent ends of said trucks at oppositesides, said transverse link mechanism having a constant effective lengthunder all normal conditions of operation of the vehicle and havingflexible means for permitting a variation in the'efl'ective length oft-helink mechanism upon it 'being subjected to abnormal loads.

s 3. In railway vehicle having articulated tracks, a hinge con prising alongitudinally disposed link connecting said trucks, and a transverselink mechanism connecting the adjacent ends said trucks at oppositesides, said transverse link mechanism comprising a flexible portionunder an initial load and a rigid portion, said flexible portionpermitting a variation in effective length of the link mechanism upon itbeing subjected to abnormal loads, and said rigid port-ion having suchphysical proportions as will permit a severing of the same upon anadditional variation in the effective length. of the transverse linkmechanism.

41. In a railway vehicle, the combination with a pair of trucks, of atransverse link mechanism connecting diagonally disposed adjacentcorners of the trucks, said link mechanism being composed out flexibleand rigid link members, said rigid member havingtwo elements secured toeach other by a plurality of rivets, the aggregate stren th of whichwill insure failure of the same upon transmission of a predeterminedload by the link mechanism.

5. In a railway vehicle having articulated trucks, a longitudinallydisposed link connecting said trucks, and atransverse link mechanismconnecting diagonally disposed adjacent corners of the trucks, saidtrans verse link mechanism having springmeans disposed under suchinitial load that said transverse link mechanism has a constanteffective length when transmitting normal loads and a variable effectivelength when transmitting abnormal loacs.

6. In a railway vehicle having articulated trucks, a longitudinallydisposed link connecting said truck, and a transverse link mechanismconnecting diagonally disposed adjacent corners of the trucks, saidtransverse link mechanism having a plurality of springs disposed undersuch initial com pression that any relative lateral movement betweensaid trucks involving a transmission of strains less than. thecompressive strength of said springs is prevented, and any relativelateral movement involving the transmission ot strains in excess of theinitial compressive strength of said springs is permlitted. I

7. In a railway vehicle having articulated mess trucks, a longitudinallydisposed link ,con-

'necting said trucks, means connecting diagonally disposed adjacentcorners of the trucks, said means comprising a partial link carryingspace retainers and secured at one end to the truck, stop membersprovided on the link to limit the distance to which said retainers maybe spaced, a second partial link member associated by suitable mechanismto the diagonally opposite corners of the second truck, said link memberpassing through said retainer elements and provided with stop membersspaced at a distanceequal to the distance between the stop members ofthe first-named mechanism, 7

and a spring under compression engaging said retainer members andholding them against the stop members, whereby for strains less than theinitial force of compr ssion of said spring, the said connecting as willpermit a p a rtin of the elements upon the transmission or apredetermined strain, each otsaid flexible links having a partial linkmember carryin space retainers and stop members to lii'nitthe distanceto which said retainers may be spaced and a second partial link memberpassing through said retainer elements and provided ,with stop membersspaced at a distance equal to the distance between the stop members ofthe first-mentioned link member, and a spring under compression engagingsaid retainer members and holding them against said stop members.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 23rd dayor" January 1928. I

ALEXANDER r. KASLEY.

